Heating system.



D. M. STOTTQ- HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB ZQ, 1908. I 932,349. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1908.

932,349. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID M. STOT'I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO HORACE E,ARGO, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HEATING SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID M. SToTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Heating Systems, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to heating systems employinghot water as the heating medium, although the system is adapted for usewith steam.

The object of the invention is to simplify the piping arrangements andobviating the necessity for using air valves on each of the radiators asis the present practice, thereby simplifying the system and greatlycheapening the cost of installation.

The system admits of the use of pipes of smaller diameter than thoseordinarily em' ployed by reason of the provision made for acceleratingthe flow of hot water through the pipes; and the employment of smallpipes instead of large ones further reduces the cost of installation toa very marked extent.

The system further has for its object to prevent an overflow and wasteof water through the expansion tank, thereby resulting in a saving ofthe -water and in the maintenance of heat in the system.

A further object of the inventionis to provide for the escape of all airand steam which may accumulate in the pipes, boiler and radiators as thesystem is being filled, or while the water is being heated, and toafford a relief safety device in case for any reason the pressurebecomes too great.

A. further object of the invention is to prevent a vacuum while thewater is cooling or being drawn off.

F rther objects of the invention will appear from the detaileddescription of the invention which consists in the features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a heating systeminstalled in a building; Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional View of thecooling device; Fig. 3 a longitudinal sectional view of the valve; andFig. 4 a detail of the pressure ring in the valve.

Referring to Fig. 1, 5 represents a boiler preferably installed in thebasement of the building to be heated, which boiler has leading, fromthe top thereof, a supply pipe 6 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 29, 1908.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

Serial No. 440,861.

connecting with header pipes 7 and 8, which header pipes are connectedwith the lower portion of the boiler through the medium of return pipes9 and 10 respectively. The return pipes serve to supply the radiators 11which are connected with return pipesby means of short supply anddischarge pipes 12 and 13 respectively.

Located adjacent to the boiler and at the lowest point in the system isa cooling device 14 which forms the subject matter of a pendingapplication Serial No. 431,222, filed May 6, 1998, which will bedescribed more in detail hereafter. The cooling device is connected withthe lower portion of the boiler by means of a pipe 15 which enters thecooling device near the upper portion thereof, and connects with a coilof pi e 16 within the cooling device, which coi of pipe, at its lowerextremity, has leading therefrom a riser 17, which connects with thebottom of the expansion tank 18 located above the level of the headerpipes 7 and 8. The ex pansion tank has leading from the top thereof adischarge pipe 19 adapted to discharge steam and air to the atmosphere,which discharge pipe, near its lower end, connects with awastepipe 20,discharging into afunnel 21 leading to a sewer or other point ofdischarge. The discharge pipe, above the connection with the waste pipehas entered thereinto an air pipe 22 which leads down below the level ofthe tank and connects with an air valve 23 which is located at the upperend of the supply'pipe 6, and immediately above theconnection of the twoheaders 7 and 8 therewith. The valve 23 also has a water discharge pipe24 leading therefrom and discharging into the waste pipe 20. Theconstruction of the valve is fully described in application Serial No.430,804, filed May 4, 1908, but briefly is as follows: The valvecomprises a casing 25 terminating at its lower end in a gooseneck 26which is adapted to fit onto the upper end of the supply pipe 6; and thecasing, at its upper end, is tapped to receive a hollow cap 27 providedwith a discharge port 28, which receives a fitting 29 into which theends of the pipes 22 and 24 are entered. The upper portion of the valvecasing extends obliquely and has located therein a valve 30, which isconnected with the casing at its lower edge by means of a hinge 31. Thevalve gate has secured thereto a float ball 32, which is connected withthe gate by means of a stem 33 and is adapted, when lowered, to restwithin a protube'rant float chamber 34. Behind the gate, 1n the positionshown in full lines is an open pressure ring 35, as shown in Fig. 4,which ring is provided in its receives the lower end ofa coll spring 37,the upper end of which lies within a cup 38 on the end of a screw stem39 entered through a gland 40 in the end of the cap 27. The valvecasing, adjacent to the float ball, is provided with a hand hole 41which is adapted to be closed by a screw plug 42, and which permitsaccess to be had to the interior of the valve. The pressure ring 35seats against an annular flange 43 on the interior of the casing WlllChserves as a seat from which it can be forced back against the tension ofthe coil spring.

The cooling device 14 is in the form of a box-like casing 44 inclosingthe coil 16, which casing rests upon legs 45, and is closed at itsforward end by means of a plate 46, through which are tapped sections ofpipe 47 and 48, which are screwed into the ends of the coil 16, andwhich, in turn, receive the ends of the pi cs 15 and 17. The plate 46 issecured to a ange 49-on the body of the casing by means of bolts 50. Thecasing has entered into its bottom a cold water supply pipe 51, and hasleading from its top a cold water discharge pipe 52, which, preferably,leads to the water supply system of the house. The details of thecooling device being fully set forth in the applications previouslymentioned, further description is deemed unnecessary.

In use, the water will fill the circulatory system until it rises to thelower level of the float within the valve, which thereafter will belifted until the valve gate closes the apertures of the pressure ring,thereby preventing the escape of water under normal conditions. The airdriven out of the system by the rise of water finds its escape throughthe pipe 22 and the pipe 19 leading to the atmosphere.

In the present invention the piping is arranged to aflord a circulatingsystem and an expansion column, each of which is entirely independent ofthe other save only that both are connected with the boiler.' In thecirculating system, with which all the radiators are connected, it isdesirable to maintain a solid volume of water, unbroken by air bubblesor steam bubbles. This is desirable for the reason that a much greatervolume of heat will be carried by a solid stream of flowing water thanby a stream which is broken by steam and air bubbles at different placesin the piping. The function of the air valve 23, which is located at thehighest point in the circulating system, is to eliminate steam and airbubbles which may be generated or admitted into the circulating system,and to maintain a solid stream of water in the iping. The constructionand location of t e airvalve is such that it center with a stud 36,which will "receive and discharge air and steam from the variousradiators and pipes com= prising the system, which obviates the'necessity for employing a separate air valve in connection with each ofthe radiators. The function of the expansion column is to kill off steambubbles which may be generated in the boiler and which may seek toescape through the expansion tank, and also to re tard the formation ofsuch bubbles by providing a suflicient head of Water in the expansioncolumn to increase the pressure on the water in the boiler to such anextent that the water will not be transformed into steam at the normalboiling point. Furthermore, the increased friction due to the presenceof the coils in the cooling device aids in retarding the escape of steamrubbles and in condensing such bubbles in case they may be generated inthe boiler. If the flow of water to the expansion tank were unimpeded bythe cooling action of the cooling device, the expansion column would becom posed of heated water interspersed. with steam bubbles, so that theweight of water in the expansion column would be at a minimum and acontinuous loss of water due to overflow from the tank would result.Furthermore, there would be a tendency of the steam to violently blowthe water out of the expansion column so that the loss of water and theconsequent waste of heat would be very great. By interposing a coolingdevice in the expansion column a rise of steam in this column will beprevented and the water chilled, so that the weight of the column ofwater will be maintained at a maximum, and the escape of water from thecirculating system will be retarded, and this retarding of the flowtoward the expansion tank, and this increase of the pressure on thewater in the boilerwill serve to raise the temperature of the boilingpoint in the circulating system, so that it is possible to M iaintain atemperature in the said system of 230 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Thisresults in an increase in the speed of travel of the water through thesystem and. a con sequent increase of the radiation of heat of a givenvolume of water. The operation of the system is in accord with the wellknown principle that an increase above atmospheric pressure serves toraise the boiling point of water above 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and adecrease below atmospheric pressure serves to lower the boiling pointbelow such standard. It is desirable in all cases to maintain theexpansion column as cool as possible, so that this column will act as asafety valve and will condense any bubbles of steam which may back outof the boiler. e

The system is one which utilizes a relatively small volume of water toits greatest extent by maintaining the water in a solid unbroken volume.'With the present system, a given degree of radiation can be securedwith the use of a greatly decreased amount of fuel, and the size of thepiping can be greatly reduced as compared with ordinary standards. Thedrain pipe is open at its lower end and discharges into a funnel whichacts as a tell-tale to indicate the escape of water from the air andWater valve. In this manner it will be possible to determine whetherwater is discharged from the circulatory system by reason of excesspressure therein and an opening of the valve, or for any other reason.The location and arrangernent of the discharge pipe 19 is such as toprevent the siphoning of Water from the tank, and the water dischargepipe 24 is so arranged that water from the circulatory system will bedischarged directly into the waste pipe without entering and heating thewater in the expansion tank. The rapidity of circulation in the presentsystem is such that one square inch of pipe has been found sul'l'icientto supply 300 feet of radiation, which is a much higher elliciency ofpiping than is possible in systems of the ordinary character.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a heating system, the combination of a heater, a circulatorysystem of pipes con nected therewith, a normally open air dischargevalve located at the highest point of said circulatory system, saidvalve adapted to be automatically closed by the initial expansion of theheating medium within the system, whereby air and steam bubbles may beeliminated from the system previous to such initial expansion, anexpansion tank above the circulatory system, a waste pipe leading fromthe tank, a cooling device below the tank, a pipe independent of thecirculatory system and leading from the cooling device to the tank, anda pipe independent of the circulatory system and leading from the lowerportion of the heater to the cooling device and adapted to convey waterthereto from the heater, substantially as described.

2. In a heating system, the combination of a heater, a circulatorysystem of pipes connected therewith, a normally open air discharge valvelocated at the highest point of said circulatory system, said valveadapted to be automatically closed by the initial expansion of theheating medium within the system, whereby air and steam bubbles may beeliminated from the system previous to such initial expansion, anexpansion tank above the circulatory system, a waste pipe leading fromthe tank, a cooling device in the form of a coil of pipe and a casingsurrounding the coil, means for passing a cooling medium through thecasing, a pipe independent of the circulatory system lead ing from thelower portion of the heater to the coil of pipe in the cooling deviceand adapted to convey water thereto from the heater, and a pipeindependent of the circulatory system leading from the coil of pipe inthe cooling device to the expansion tank, substantially as described.

3. In a heating system, the combination of a heater at the bottom of thesystem, an expansion tank at the highest point of the system, a pipeconnection between the heater and the expansion tank, a cooling deviceinterposed in said pipe connection, a circulatory system independent ofsaid pipe connection and said expansion tank and connecting with theheater, and a normally open air discharge valve located at the highestpoint ol said circulatory system, said valve adapted to be automaticallyclosed by the initial expansion of the heating medium within the system,whereby air and steam bubbles may be eliminated from the system previousto such initial expansion, substantially as described.

l. In a heating system, the combination of a heater at the bottom of thesystem, an expansion tank at the highest point of the system, a pipeconnection between the lower portion of the heater and the expansiontank, a circulatory system independent of said pipe connection and saidexpansion tanl: commu nicating at each end with the heater, and anormally open air discharge valve located at the highest point of saidcirculatory system, said valve adapted to be automatically closed by theinitial expansion of the heating medium Within the system, whereby airand steam bubbles may be eliminated from the system previous to suchinitial expansion, substantially as described.

DAVID M. STOTT.

Witnesses PIERSON lV. BANNING, WALKER BANNING.

